The New & Improved Goa'uld
by RogerD
Summary: An Immortal must help the SGC defeat a new and improved enemy. Chapter 8 is now up. The Vampire Goa'uld story will continue this thread.
1. Chapter 1

Author notes

I am going to 'dial down' the paranormal here. Vampires and preternatural are going to be strange, myths and legends come to life, and scary to see. Most people faced with a burglar in their own home feel either invaded or violated and can go to extreme lengths to protect themselves. This has an effect on their psyche. The preternatural should be even scarier and larger than life.

Chapter 1 - Prologue

My name is Mark Sabat, although I wasn't always known by that name. For those of you that don't' know this I am an Immortal. I wasn't born on Earth though, oh no; I came here quite by accident, through a Witchgate, which is like a Stargate, except it drains magical energy allowing travel between worlds and dimensions. I'll give you a very brief recap of my early life, but won't spend too much time on it.

The captain of a ship and his wife were marooned when their ship capsized after a huge storm. It was in this strange land of even stranger customs where my parents settled down and I was born into an Iga village. This village taught the arts of war, the arts of Ninjutsu, kuji kiri & magic. The name I was born with was Quintius Maximus, although my village name was Shinji Akamura. My parents wanted me to understand I was different from everybody, and told me to keep my second name secret. They taught me customs and language from their homeland, while I learned language, etiquette and so much more here.

I was taught all their arts, and undertook many assignments. It was at twenty five that my world changed and my parents became very ill.

They had travelled through some swampy terrain, and became very sick, infected with some contagion from very small flies, it was called 'the fever'. The ill were not allowed back into the village, but I went to them in a nearby settlement. I stayed with them till they passed away, unable to do anything but weep and mourn their passing.

I grew tired of study and training, & eventually I decided to take a 'pilgrimage' of sorts to a temple many weeks journey away. This was granted & so off I went. This is where I experienced my first death at the hands of a bully and his gang. I was a master ninja at this time, but you don't take on twenty swordsman unless you have a deathwish or are on the battlefield. I was winning too, they weren't very well trained, till someone (a cheat, you can't always fight fair) shot an arrow through my heart. When I woke up in a shallow grave I decided on a brave course of action, run away. Lets face it on large island full of orientals, a dead white man walking and breathing is suspicious and fairly obvious.

It was at this point I came across a master Koga Ninja, who told me what I was, and he suggested that I change my name again; so I became Yukio Takamoto. Like that was going to help, but I did as instructed. Strangely people took to me, and never encountered anyone from the opposite side of the Island.

He agreed to teach me. If you want to know the difference between the two, the latter (Koga) is more geared for espionage, the former (Iga Ninjutsu) pure fighting. After a few years with him, he recommended I travel further and learn the secrets of various different sword schools from another Immortal (a friend of his) Miyamoto Musashi.

We spent many years, Miyamoto & I; talking philosophy, religion and tactics. He taught me how to use Quickening in conjunction with various sword arts.

In short I kept travelling learning something new as I went. I found a Shaolin monastery, and was taught their martial art. In addition they taught me Mudras (hand postures), chi energy building exercises and chi magic Shaolin style.

This type of magic (chi) is really no different to western magic, and no less powerful, mostly pure willpower & more mysticism than anything else. It has just been given a different name. There is very little verbal component in chi magic. The person expends internal energy and visualises the effect.

Just in case you think all I did was train, well your wrong. Boy did I party and meet some lovely ladies in the east. I had had enough of the Orient at this point and wanted to go westward. I managed to persuade a Corsair, fresh from sea, in a local bar to take me there by boat in exchange for gold. Is there any other way?

Almost a month the journey took. I discovered I would never make a pirate or a corsair, or any other sea based occupation. I can ride a horse at full gallop and either shoot or fight, on uneven ground too, but as soon as we hit some waves I turned mold green. Sick everywhere, thought the captain was going to throw me overboard. Although one of his crew did teach me some of the more of the language, I was a little rusty not having practised with my parents much prior to their passing. In between lucidity and my stomach doing belly flops, it was really hard going.

When I arrived, they all thought that I dressed funny. I got some really strange looks, not many warriors here dress in fine clothes. But I did, it was the custom in the east. Oh well. While out travelling I came across a bandit raid. I managed with the help of several other mercenaries and a female mage to stop the rampaging idiots. It here I first came across western spell magic. I was told various things about their kind of magic.

Now western magic has certain pre requisites, wizards use a wand followed by verbal components; sorcerers use only incantation (verbal) from one or many languages. Both types of magic require the expenditure of energy and to visualise the effect desired. The energy used can be gained from ley lines or artefacts, mages learn to store this energy internally.

The entire idea of western magic seemed strange to me. Too much goes on during a fight usually, and should the words come out wrong or if the practitioner is not fast enough then death the very likely result. But in this case the mage seemed very competent. We did spend some time together after this, and became lovers. She sadly died five years later in my arms.

Don't get the idea that magic is the 'all-powerful' force here because it is not true. It, magic, has its' limits; pro's and cons. A wizard can never truly replace a good warrior, but the best are trained in both. All good warriors have some magic knowledge, or all good wizards are capable fighters. It is the same for the best in all the professions, you need to have more than one string to your bow.

As I travelled further around my home world, I forgot to tell you it was called Pallatia; earning money as a mercenary for hire, bounty hunter, killer of the wicked, destroyer of evil mages.

I continued & travelled to the Great Forests where the Elves reside, confident in my Immortality and skills to protect me. Legend has it that Elves are Immortal, buldookey. They just live a long time, up to 1000 years in some cases.

Although I did come across an Immortal elf called Maglor Mithrandir, he claimed to be about 600 years old. He is not particularly ancient although older than my mere 100 years, but his skills were most impressive. He was accomplished in the Elven warrior arts, and their assassin or killing art forms. He was quite a powerful sorcerer to boot. If some of you have ever travelled to Japan to see the Kyudo (long bow) masters, these had nothing on this wise old warrior. It is here that he taught me their ways and languages, martial arts knowing how young to 'the Immortal game' I truly was. How similar their ways to the orient, where I was born.

I did come across one other Immortal Elf, a sorceress by the name of Galadriel, she was absolutely stunning. Some of their 'fields' of magic had not reached the human world and remained secret.

In addition to living over ten times the normal human lifespan, I discovered that many of older and more powerful Elves were not only capable of magic, but psychic powers too. Sometimes it just wasn't fair. It is times like this that make you question the sanity of the cosmos, or if there is any reason to it all. In total I spent almost two decades here.

I came across a great portal, set in a mountain with runes all over it, known as a Witchgate. I accidentally activated it. Unfortunately the draining of energy killed me, temporarily, I awoke an indeterminate amount of time later to a new world. Hence my arrival to Earth was complete. I would in later time learn how to go back, but that was much later.

I travelled to a land called Europe first and settle in England for fifty years. It was there that I met the very beautiful Immortal thief known as Amanda, under a my new name of Iain Galad. I went briefly across the orient, finding little of interest having spent many a time in an identical land. Russia and the Middle East were interesting. Their myths and beliefs and I spent some time learning them, always perfecting my skills.

It is while in Greece I first met Ramirez, and Methos, both very powerful Quickening mages, the later especially; spending almost a decade in both their respective companies. Learning much from both, mainly in aspects of Earth history.

From Russia I went to Australia, and according to a aboriginal Immortal, I had been on 'walkabout' for many years obviously searching for something, as yet undefined. I did not stay here long, the heat being a little bit too much.

My next stop was the USA, as yet virtually undiscovered. I met the local Indian tribes and I loved the buffalos. It is here I made a home for a couple of centuries, practicing my arts and teaching no others.

I travelled back to Europe for a change of scene, and came across a Shih Master by the name of Ryoku (real name Lin Tao).

I spent quite a few more years talking and Ryoku showed me a little known and mythical martial art; translated as 'Mind / soul & body way'. It included many other arts I already knew. Ryoku had been taught this long ago, he had also lived in the Iga Village; which sparked off another discussion. Eventually Ryoku took me back to the W-gate instructing me in its safe use. Along the way my travels brought me into contact with other Immortals, Vampires etc, and other preternatural associations.

It was in England during the 1900 I met Methos again. We both had different names by this time, and I learned that Methos was a Justicar of the PTB's.

That about covers a majority of my relevant history.

Now I guess you need to know what I do here on earth. I work for both the American and British governments, and clean up messes that they don't want associated with. I know this makes me sound callous, but I do turn down assignments, frequently.

I won't kill innocents, although I have done my fair share of killing, no that's not right! Let's tell how it really was, murder. Plain and simple. I'm not proud of it, but we've all had our bad times.

Usually it's a terrorist group they need dealing with, or drug cartels; that not even the SAS can get near. Short of a direct air strike, that's where I come in, get in & do the business and get out before they bury the bodies. How do I do that avoid being seen or heard, why magic of course!

This is part of my job I HATE the most, but I deal with a conspiratorial global entity called the Syndicate, who are there to help with the colonisation by aliens of our planet in 2020. Well, I help to clear up alien crap, infiltrate them and use the information to take them down from inside. I'm not about to stand around and let billions of people die.

The final part I don't get paid for, but I ran across an 'old friend' in LA once, a ensouled 'soulless' vampire called Angel. Well, he told me about his helping the helpless and it seemed a worthwhile thing to take up.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

I was sitting at home one day. My home just to clarify is a whole building like you might see in the centre of a city, 8 floors, numerous rooms, underground garage full of cars. Even have a helipad on the roof. Thinking of getting a jet pad (for VTOL) installed at some point. Oh yes I live in the middle of Atlanta.

We are by the way the new 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen', or LXG for short. We do not live together, but own buildings in separate cities. We were however not enjoying the administration part of our job, the report writing. We were currently describing the recent events on the last preternatural menace that my team and I had recently killed. We keep a copy of this report on our computers, and also send one copy to the BPRD, known as the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defence. We have a lot of contact with them, and quite often work together.

The LXG have a few temporary members that can be called on if the situations arises, Hellboy, and of course the most famous daywalker of all; Blade.

"Mark, have you finished yet, what are doing writing it in another language?" that was my team mate Hugo.

"I'll be right there"

Hugo is 'master vampire' or another term would be 'elder', of equal ability to old Viktor before Selene killed him. Although Hugo is slightly different, able to shape change into bat, mist etc, with many other powers attributed to folklore. He has quite an array of talents after almost 900 years of life. He is not undead like in fiction, his heart does beat, albeit very slowly. As you would expect he has an athletic build, and about 6 foot tall. He has all the luck with the ladies, damn him and his vampire charms.

Another member of our team is Michelle. She looks like any keep fit fanatic who goes to the gym, tanned skin with brunette hair, but those piercing emerald eyes. Nothing preternatural in them. They're like looking into a huge ocean, sometimes you feel like you could drown. She was a 'child of Genomex' and been altered by the military a little more to become part of psi ops, bloody Manticore! Well that's where I recruited her from and she's our resident Psychic powerhouse. She makes both Hugo, and Maglor look like children despite their age. But she does have 'demon' DNA in with her human genes.

She can be quite ruthless when it comes to our job. I've seen her perform 'mind rape', and felt the psychic aftermath, and I'm not psychic; not one jot. Both Hugo, and Maglor went pale had to have a lie down due to migraines. She does scare me sometimes, but we have a rule never to read one another mystically.

Remember the Elf Immortal friend of mine, Maglor Mithrandir, well he's in our team too. He is now about 1500 years old. The best way to describe him is like a very refined English Lord. All prim and proper, but when it comes to getting low down and dirty; he does so with the best of them.

The last member is Santos. He is a Lycan lord, These are a virtually 'mystical' breed of lycan, able to shape change into a Wolf, Tiger, Bear and a few others to boot. He is almost eight hundred years old, with an array of skills too. Age hath it privileges someone once said. He is a very well built, about 6'6", and of African descent. He is a good man, and been a good friend to me with the other league members for quite a few years now, almost eighty years!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

This night I was patrolling the city roof tops, and generally looking for mischief.

"Aaaaaaah! Help! Help!" Sometimes it never fails to amaze me that if one looks for trouble it is easy to find. As I ran towards the screams across the rooftops, I turned up my hearing. The woman was 100 yards away, across the road behind the next building. I reached the rooftop, and used my magic skills to lighten my weight, so that was I no heavier than a brick and jumped. As I cleared the distance I could see the road 10 stories down. As I reached the next roof again, I made myself even lighter so that I would not make too much noise.

"No I've got money and my husband is around the corner"

"Lets do it right here" one scumbag said to another. My hearing made out four heart beats, ergo four people. One was the victim. Her heart rate was quite naturally through the roof. Three scumbags, all within two feet of the victim. I got the roof edge and quickly looked down to survey the scene. General alley really, dirty and full of crap, litter everywhere. Two medium build scumbags, and one body builder. The former were holding here down, and latter was trying to rip here underwear off.

"Ooompf", Mr Body Builder just hit her in the stomach. I dropped, not bothered about noise as I landed right behind the Mr B.B. I used my legs like a springboard and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and his left arm. As my legs straightened up I turned to my right and threw him.

Immortals can be just as strong as any vampire, or Slayer. Often stronger. Immortals get more powerful as we age, or take Quickening through headhunting or challenges. I was a bit heavy handed with him and threw him twenty feet away bouncing him off a wall. I heard bones crunch, skull too. Definite fracture.

The guy holding the victims right arm, which is on my left. I punched with a stepping right cross down and into his mouth. Crack! Broken jaw and out like a light. The one that was on the left arm looked up at me.

I'm about 5'8", but all muscle, probably about 3 fat. If I had to compare, well, I'm a slightly bigger build than Duncan, not quite so dark skinned, with short cropped brown hair. If anything I'd say more attractive, but I tend to have a 'thousand yard stare' which detracts from my luck with the ladies that he has, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I was dressed in a dark blue SWAT trousers, gray t-shirt (wearing black at night is bad, easy to spot as you're darker than the shadows), with BP vest on. Two pistols on either hip (with single and fully automatic, like an submachine gun), and a wakizashi on my left hip above the gun. I also have the customary blade on (yes it is a Katana, this is almost 900 years old), but like all Immortals we can conceal it mystically so that it isn't really there till we need it, allowing rolling or acrobatics. The other stuff I had, like a concealed mobile should backup ever be required, and various ID's.

I looked definitely annoyed at this point, and number three was extremely scared. I could see it quite obviously, didn't need to sense something like that. However there wasn't a great deal of time for him to bargain or move. I simply didn't give him time as I back fisted him across the face. Knocked him out cold too, and his eye was puffing up a treat. Fractured eye socket.

The victim looked up at me, "don't worry I won't hurt you, I'm hear to help, I work for the NSA". Technically I do, although I do report to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and showed an ID. I even have an office at a couple of regional branches. I rarely visit though, unless I need something.

I reached out with my hand, and she gave me her hand. I helped her up. The fear was plain to see in her eyes, but I could see that my ID helped to calm her a little. The first thing you want in any situation other than family is know someone in authority will be there to help you and empathise with your situation.

"Miss, what's your name?"

"Iiiiits Mmmrs. Mmmy name is Katherine" She stammered.

"Do you want me to call the police or husband and have them pick you up?" If it wasn't an attempted rape I would have driven her myself. She was still a little bit wary and definitely in shock.

"Yes please" I pulled out my mobile phone.

"What's the number? What's the name of your husband?" She told me and so I dialled. "Hi is that Bill?

"Yeh"

"My name is Mark Sabat I'm with the NSA, and am just with your wife near the Wallmart, on the corner of East & Elm, do you know it?"

"Yes why, whats up, is my wife ok? He sounded worried, unsurprisingly.

"She is now, some idiots were trying to assault her, and they have been punished for their actions. Can you come to get her?"

After waiting fifteen minutes the husband arrived and I took her to the corner of the street to be picked up. I should really have been giving medical aid to Mr Body Builder, but I'd heard his heart stop awhile ago.

Sometimes I am a really a cold hearted bastard. The other two wouldn't wake up for awhile. Luckily I have 'Authority to kill', a slight judicious use now and again is okay. Killing too many folk in a week will get me into serious trouble with the Joint Chiefs. They'd even threatened to lock me up once, and put me death row. Needless to say that my reply was my team will work elsewhere, with or without me. JCoS (Joint Chiefs) don't like to back to down, but sometimes I have to play like a good doggie. Woof!

Although there one this one time…….


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I went back to the rooftops and patrolled. The other LXG members patrol whichever city they live in. My mobile started to vibrate, I obviously don't have a ring tone. It's difficult to be stealthy with your phone blurting out some music tune. I picked up the phone and flipped it open,

"Is that Mark"

"Hi general, how's things?"

"It's okay, can you come down to the SGC we might need your help with something". Now that sounded ominous, I'd installed a few different teams at SGC. When I say this I refer to; mutants, a couple of Lycans, a Slayer or two, a few Vampires, and one Immortal. Although the sun on other planets doesn't make vampires combust like here on Earth, which means they are ecstatic at being able to walk in the sun. I'd theorised quite a few explanations for this, yes that's right I didn't haven't a clue.

These other teams I was responsible for, although they reported directly to Jack O'Neill, formerly a Colonel, recently promoted to General.

"I'll be there in about 6 hours, or did you have mind sooner, can you tell me what's up as it's a secure line?"

"Not really you should see this, it could be quite a problem" I hated bloody cryptic puzzles.

"Ok, I could be there quicker if you want?"

"No six hours will fine". Jack always got jittery when I implied mystic transport, and was never keen on it; despite the fact he'd used Asgard transporters, and Goa'uld rings hundreds of times. So I went home and got all my gear together, and took the helicopter.

I do not always take my team with me, but if any of us get in over our heads we can always call the others for backup. So six hours later I land at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base. I'm met by Colonel Samantha Carter, "Hi Sam, Jack sounded pretty freaked"

"So am I. Before I, or all of us met you we never thought magic existed, so we were concerned" As I got out I shook hands with her.

"Why do I get feeling I should have stayed in bed this morning?" I got my backpack full of spare ammo and laptop, and made my way inside with Sam. We entered the lift and made our way down to the lower levels. We step out on level 28, and walk down a few corridors, and I see Jack standing outside a room with Daniel and Teal'c. "Hi folks" as I walk over to shake hands with them. Jack just gestures over his shoulder, pointing with his thumb at a room, "Take a look at that will ya?"

"What Jack is trying to say is that we would like your expertise to evaluate some of the script in this room, as it looks vaguely mystical", that was Daniel Jackson.

"Indeed". I've always found that Daniel and Teal'c to be at opposite sides of the scales, the former will say three sentences to get his point across. Teal'c tends to be more two or three words. Don't get me wrong, both work well. Sometimes when I want details I get too much, and occasionally not enough. Anyway I walk into some sleeping quarters at SGC. Bed pushed against the walls. "It also feels kinda hot in there too" ventured Daniel.

"Jesus Christ", that was me. You know when you walk from an air conditioned building and then go outside to get hit by a wall of heat. Walking into the room was a bit like that. The power washing over me from the magic in this room was incredible, it was like standing on a beach and being hit by wave after wave; only in this case it was energy. Every hair stood up on my forearms, and I had to take a deep breath to steady myself.

The room is full of mystic circles with runes inscribed in blood. There were four seperate double circles in all, each about three feet in diameter surrounded by another larger circle, about 3 ½ foot diameter. In between both of these circles were the runes. The walls were also inscribed with various mystic script.

I then sent a little bit of my power outward, probing the mystical wards, starting very slowly and lightly. SG-1 were standing next me, and you could see that Sam & Daniel could sense something. Daniel almost gasped for breath, and his hairs were standing up on his neck and forearms. I've been told that sometimes my power can feel cooling, but not cold. I concentrated on making it feel cool, to cancel some of the excess energy. I then let my energies subside.

"Wow, was that you?" asked Daniel

"Yeh it was. This is quite a little magic storehouse at the minute. Managed to cancel some of it out though"

"Any clue?" said Sam.

"It certainly looks like some kind of necromancy, with a hint of something else. It is designed to raise the dead, and lots of them, but what I don't get is why here at SGC or near a Stargate. Do you know who did it?" I replied putting my 'thinking cap' on.

"We have the soldiers in question under arrest, officers McTimoney and Alters, do you want to speak to them?" Jack offered.

"I'd like to see their files before I interview them. Bugger, if I could just understand some of the other symbols", I said standing there slack jawed for a second. The main part of SGC stood there looking worriedly at me.

"A problem?" ventured Daniel.

"Er yeh. Some of these sigils are unfamiliar even to me" just because I've been alive a millennia or so even I don't have all the answers. Whether it be magic or otherwise. "Some parts of the mystic arts have been lost, or kept alive by those sad and insane people that worship things they shouldn't, namely Great Old ones or their lessers the Old Ones".

"Are you talking Lovecraftian type monsters" said Daniel.

"Spot on my young scholar, now it looks like these circles are also designed to act as a focus to open a doorway, using the Stargate. All I need to do is work out where"

"What are Lovecraftian monsters or whatever?"

"Well Jack. He wrote horror stories in the 1920's, full of extraterrestrial beings that generally sent most people insane to view them." said Sam.

"What kind of monsters?" Sometimes Jack utters really helpful comments.

"They were…"

"I met Lovecraft" I said interrupting Sam's comments, "wasn't in slightest bit human"

"What" exclaimed Jack, Sam and Daniel both turned to look at me, Teal'c looked slightly neutral as per usual.

"Made I sure killed him or it. Intended him to stay damn dead too! Looked like an frog or octopoid cross" I still carried the mental scars of that confrontation, facing the preternatural isn't for the timid or weak minded. "I did have it's magical flute locked up under physical and mystical barriers". I don't like to put my eggs all in one basket

"Flute?" said Daniel and Sam in unison. Teal'c just cocked his head to side looking puzzled. "What did you mean did? Sorry that's not what I mean to say. You mean did as in past tense, or no longer?"

"I think I'm getting a migraine" said Jack rubbing his temples.

"No I don't have it any longer. It stunk of long forgotten or at least very dangerous and extremely high sorcery, things that mankind isn't ready to play with yet. Quite frankly it scared the living crap out of me. Over the years I've rounded up a lot of mystic artefacts, deliberately and had them all quarantined by the Oracles; they are links to the Powers that Be, or the Ascended Ancients to you"

"You speak with the Ancients" Sam ventured.

"No I speak to their intermediaries, the Oracles sometimes if they permit it. I had to ask very politely, but I suspect they knew I was coming. All of the sudden all the artefacts vanish, and the male said 'it has been done as you requested, now begone lesser being' and with a gesture I flew out of portal outside an old post office entrance".

I feel some explanation is question is called for. I'd met some good courageous people over the years, Indiana Jones was one. He drunk from the Holy Grail, found the Ark of the Covenant, a lingam of Shiva. He went on to other adventures, but I sort of suspected these artefacts were too dangerous to be left in the open. So I took them and did initially place them behind very potent physical and mystical barriers. It wasn't until Methos told me of the Oracles in 1900, I investigated much more seriously. Obviously a visit was required and I took my gift to them as you are supposed to. I started from there really; been in their service ever since. I'll explain this in more detail later.

"Wow" was Daniel's comment. I don't if Daniel if was referring to the Oracles or the fact the entrance was an old Post Office doorway. "I need to sit down, get a coffee and think for a sec, oh and lock that door tight, and don't let anyone but me in there". I hate days like this sometimes, and wish magic didn't exist then SGC would able to handle it on their own. Now I'm having a dangerous thought here, I could teach Daniel to read rune magic. He can read just about anything else! Not the actual casting etc. of circles or runes, but the actual reading principle. Mmmmm, now there's thought.

"I'll join you he says".

"Mind if I join you too" said Sam. Teal'c then just falls in tow.

"I'll just go back to my office then" said Jack walking off.

Ten to fifteen minutes later, a quick ride in a lift I arrive in the canteen with some of SGC-1. I order some food and a coffee. Now if you've never tasted military coffee, it tastes like yak spit, really, it's bloody awful stuff. I wish I'd packed a thermos flask. Now I had actually invented a spell to create coffee, but it never tastes as good as one from Starbucks, and besides it was more energy than it was worth. I keep that spell for cold climates where weather is an issue.

I'm thinking here about the circles and the runes, deeply there was just something that wasn't right. It was right in front of my face too. So pulled off my backpack and got my laptop out. I turned it on, waiting for the 'boot up' nonsense to finish. "What are you looking for?" asked Daniel.

"I have no idea" says I.

"That'll narrow the search a bit" replies Daniel sarcastically. After about 2 – 3 minutes my laptop is ready, and several mouthfuls of yak spit later, I open the language database. These are what are known as 'demon' languages. In short, alien. All the things a Slayer fights are mostly aliens that have left their homeworld, and decided to live somewhere else. One of the races on Pallatia are Wolfen, big wolves. Well they have a saying, 'new forest, more food, new home', pretty much mirrors our human phrase, 'to pastures new'. The 'demons' obviously wanted to be elsewhere, pretty much like I did right now.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

I was still sitting in that bloody awful mess hall nursing another coffee, and something on a plate, which could actually be alive considering. After much searching and explaining to Daniel about what I decided I was looking for on my laptop; it was a cross between proto Aramaic & Sumerian. I found a couple of symbols I was looking for. Needless to say, Daniels' expertise with languages is different, and probably better than mine, all his are races encountered via the Stargate network, most of mine aren't, i.e. languages I used to speak. Don't forget that the Stargate on earth has been 'out of action' for over 5000 years, buried until the 1920s'.

Immortals who have been alive a long while pick up a lot of languages and tend not to learn extra ones unless absolutely necessary. Especially with our long lives and languages constantly changing, learning old 'dead' languages is not really a pursuit we tend to get involved in as trying to keep up with the modern world challenge enough.

"I really dislike necromancy in all its' forms"

"I can, errm, see why raising then dead might be problem, but is there a reason that you dislike them" inquired Daniel. Magic itself has lots of areas of expertise, from battle magic, to illusionists and of course black magic & necromancy (hack spit!).

I had wanted to learn magic since I was little, except the latter two(necromancy, hack spit!). Whoever said an Immortal can't have a few issues. Don't go thinking that I use magic a lot because I really really don't.

It's easier to use an electronic listening device or powerful binoculars than use scrying magic to listen or watch someone. I have to concentrate, visualise, and let the magic flow through my body & generally towards a target. An incantation will be required if I'm using sorcery. The same is also true for more aggressive magic e.g. fireballs or lightening bolts, or I pull a gun and shoot them dead. I love the 21st Century; things are so much easier. Conservation of energy is beautiful thing and sometimes I can be lazy.

"Well, all the necromancers I've ever met have been nasty, deceitful, toad eyed morons who'd sell anyone to get their desires; & needless it also requires a lot of human sacrifice for the more powerful stuff".

Actually the reason sacrifices are done by some mages; not me as I dislike killing an innocent animals or people generally, is that when something is brutally killed its energies double at death, or more depending on time of year, solstices & lunar eclipses etc. Most beings possess some magic energy even if they don't have the capacity to use it. I do not know why this is. I've asked these same questions to Oracles before only to be told "lesser beings do not need to know this", and flung out the portal again. If I was up there I'd be a lesser higher being with lots of questions, or down on Earth just a lesser being & I still have lots of questions. Don't know what is worse really. Maybe I'm just a cynic.

"Ah. Actually now I think about it some these symbols look very similar to ones we encountered a few months ago on PX43-254, I've got the books somewhere. I'm going to go find them"

It was my turn to say "I'll follow you this time, see you two later", didn't really see the point of Teal'c and Sam following. I can talk physics to Sam, but to a level, then she just loses me and my head spins. I'd like to understand how magic works from a scientific principle at some point, and yes I did ask that question too; any one want to guess what the Oracles answer was?

So I was following Daniel to his 'book room' where he does his research. I've been in here before, but this time there are more books. About two hours later we had translated a few other parts of the symbols. We were 'good to go', and I was confident that with Daniels' help I could dispel the mystic circles and runes safely. I probably could have done it anyway, but as the saying goes 'information is power' and you can never have too much. Needless to say Daniels' collection of old languages was truly impressive.

At this point there was a voice out of the speakers that said, obviously a regular occurrence at SGC, "unscheduled offworld activiation" as the emergency klaxons started blaring away. I have very sensitive hearing, and had to tune it out or get a headache. Me and Daniel arrived at the command centre last looking onto the gate room, Jack was there with Teal'c and Sam.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

I really should tell you how I first came across SG-1.

(FLASHBACK) – 4 years ago about 3am, Saturday I think, down an alley way.

I was sitting on roof patrolling like usual, and noticed four leave a 'demon bar'. These particular bars, everyone looks normal as the clientele tend to have mystical disguises or illusions hiding their real nature. Otherwise you'd get problems.

These four all had the 'swagger' of military personnel, no mystic disguises, but dressed casually, jeans and the like. All human. The first one was almost six foot, with greying hair. He left with a small petite blonde who was reasonably attractive, a medium build man with brown hair and glasses, and finally a six foot two black guy and very well built. The former and latter were certainly the fighters of the group. I stretched out with my power to sense anything out of the ordinary. The latter set off some of my mystical senses a little, it was like detecting two lifesigns within one person. Very strange.

Anyway, they were talking, and the blonde women said "sir, do you think something was a little bit off in that bar?"

"Nah, you're just imagining it" replied the grey haired man

"I agree with major Carter" offered the big black guy. Ahah, military I was right!

"Are you sure you two aren't just being skittish" replied the grey haired man again, obviously in charge. I knew him from somewhere…

The guy with glasses said "Come one Jack, it felt weird in there"

"You're just siding with Sam and Teal'c, aren't you Daniel? Is it pick on Jack day?" Oh god, I did know him, it's Jack O'Neill. I had been a consultant on a Black Ops unit about fifteen years ago, Gulf War stuff.

"Look ya see, four normal boys going for beer" said Jack looking at four youths walking down the alleyway towards the bar. I stretched out my power again, and they smelt non-human for a start, and didn't move like a normal person.

I looked closely at Jack's team again, both he, and Sam were packing, you could tell. Most people walk around the weapon, not with it, even Special Ops teams. The four targets walking up the street were not normal, they were 'Soulless' vampires, the same kind the Slayer kills. No one noticed, but Teal'c looked in my direction very briefly, but I was too well concealed near a ledge in complete darkness. He shouldn't have a clue I was there! Something was amiss.

At this point one the vampires said "Dinner!"

"Oooh, look take out" answered another looking in Jack and Sam direction.. I could see this was going to get ugly. At this point I hadn't come across anti-vampire or anti-Lycan rounds so it was a case of 'do it the old fashioned way'. Needless to say Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c looked a little perplexed by these comments, "I'm sorry boys but am I missing something" said Jack.

"We've got a smart one here", this comment from vamp no.3, soon to be dead at my hands with all the rest. One vamp went straight for Sam, overpowering her easily, showing 'game face'.

Another vamp went for Jack, who had his gun out and firing instantly. Nice fast draw though, but it would do him little good. Another jumped about 5 feet in the air and about 8 feet long and landed on Teal'c. He was obviously surprised by this. At this point I dropped to the pavement from ten stories up, and drew a wakizashi from it's scabbard. Wakizashis are short swords the Samurai used to have, just over a foot long and razor sharp. I landed in the alley next Sam and her 'assailant', "Is this a free for all or can anyone join in" I asked casually while grabbing the vampire with Sam by the neck and hurling him off a wall five feet away. As he bounced off the wall and I swung the shoto (another name for wakizashi by the way) in a short tight arc at the vamps head. He had no chance as head and body separated, turning to dust instantly. I lept five feet to my left and kicked the one holding Daniel into a load of dustbins. "You'll pay for that" said the vampire who currently had the 'face' on him, and trying to get up. "Not today soulless" while I pushed the shoto into his neck and out the other side while simultaneously holding his left shoulder. I then drew the blade across the neck severing it from the body. Another dusted vamp.

Jack was slightly outclassed, mainly due the vamps speed and strength, other than that he was doing okay. The other, Teal'c, was actually getting the better of his opponent. Interesting. I wasn't going to stand and watch though. I walked behind the vampire fighting with Jack, and broke it's neck. Obviously not going to kill it, but will drop it briefly. Ten guesses how I killed him. Yep, as the phrase went in Alice in Wonderland 'off with his head'. "Hey jackass, you're friends are dusted, take your punishment like a good soulless thing and die" The remaining vampire turned to look at me, while I had distracted him, there was a couple of feet between the vampire and Teal'c. "Catch, and cut his head off" said me throwing the shoto to Teal'c, which to his credit he caught absolutely flawlessly. The vampire had this sort of sad but confused look about him till the short sword found it's way through his neck, and he too turned to dust.

"What the hell were they" asked Jack, followed by his next comment "& don't I know you?"

"I was going to ask the same question, although I think I know the answer" commented Daniel

"You do, I hope you're not going to say what I think you're going to"

"Sam, Daniel, don't either of you say anything. I don't wanna hear it, and who the hell are you anyway, the dark avenger!" shouted Jack. This comment was a bit harsh but considering the situation, quite understandable. I was wearing dark clothes, but not black like I said before, don't want to darker than the shadows. I had two shotos, one on either hip, well only the one on the right hip as Teal'c had the other, a bullet proof vest and an MP3 slung across my shoulder; while my footwear consisted off a cross between loafers and combat boots. Maybe I should consider changing the colour of my patrolling gear at some point?

"Jack, that was a bit uncalled for" reprimanded Sam, "but I'm curious how you survived a fall from what seven or eight stories"

"Was it, I didn't really take much notice, just saw you being attacked and tried to help out, can I have my short sword back now Teal'c?" I replied directing my attention accordingly

"Of course" he said handing it back to me hilt first, the kind of respect given in a martial arts dojo when returning something. I took it and nodded my head in the same manner.

"How the hell do you know his name?" said Jack going to retrieve his gun.

"I was watching and listening to you all when you came out of the bar, where do you think I came from graceland" That last comment was unnecessary and I knew it "look I'm sorry Jack, my name is Mark Sabat". Do you ever have those flashes of awareness, you think someone was looking at you. Only to find you turn around and all of sudden they look away? Well I could feel homicidal intend focused on me, and something far stronger on the people around me. Somebody was walking up the alley way but keeping to the shadows. I also have good eyesight, and used by magic to force my eyes to let in more light enabling greater nightvision. Usually when this magic is used those around you don't feel a lot unless their holding hands or either very very close.

The person was medium height, male, and looked quite strong. He was wearing a jeans and a t-shirt with a metal wristband that fitted over his figertips with a jewel in the palm of his hand. At this point Teal'c turned and looked into the shadows.

"What is it Teal'c?" asked Jack.

"I can sense a Goa'uld nearby"

"Where?" asked Daniel.

"Would it be the person in the shadows over there" I said jerking my thumb in the general direction.

"I can't see anyone down there, it's pitch black", Jack and another one his helpful comments.

"Wait are you telling me you can see down that alley?" inquired Sam.

"Perfectly and they're hugging the wall and moving like an amateur, but with a metal glove thingy with a jewel in their left palm"

"Ok stay back, we'll handle it from here" said Jack taking the lead.

"Still a bit reckless eh Jack?" I said and using the opportunity to take the lead. At this point the person came out of the alley.

"What!"

"Okay drop to the ground right now and I may decide not to hurt", "or torture you" I added the last bit under my breath. Hope no one heard it.

"You have killed my servants and will pay the price for sacrilege against your god". Who the hell was this moron? Certainly had some serious issues.

Jack had his gun out and was shooting at this point. The bullets bouncing off some force field, that seemed to be visible upon impact with another object. I stretched out my mystic senses again, nothing preternatural involved. Had to be something else, "technological?" I asked.

"Yes" said Sam firing as well, "Daniel call general Hammond and tell him we have a foothold situation". A good name to remember, just in case things got sticky.

"Gotcha" said Daniel.

"How do you break the forcefield"

"Slow moving weapons only " Sam replied to me. I was across the intervening distance quicker than they could react, and stood behind the assailant. I slowly reached through the shield to grab him, only to find my right wrist grabbed by his left hand and pulled in. Damn he was strong. He raised the glowing jewel thingy to my head.

The air rippled around the jewel, and vibrated till it touched my head. Then all I could feel was pain, blinding. Suddenly the pain stopped, although the device continued to operate, the vibration constant on my forehead. I could feel my Quickening healing the damage as though it wasn't there. Whatever this was, I was healing quicker than it could hurt me.

"Ooooh that tickles" I said looking into his eyes.

"You dare to defy your god"

"I've been defied and deified plenty of times, but I don't have a complex pal".

I stood up, and rotated my right hand clockwise, or against his thumb grip while simultaneously standing up and punching/ driving with my left into his upper chest, hearing a satisfying crack of the breast bone fracturing. I grabbed his right hand with my right hand and rotating his palm so that it was facing the wall, and then pulled the wrist in so that it was bent (apparently they call this gooseneck or something in jujutsu circles nowadays). I then push his fingers towards his head and continue in the direction of the floor, while grabbing the right elbow with my left hand and pull down. This is all done at the same time as bending the knees into the old martial art horse stance, but quickly using the knees as a spring and standing upright again.

This got a very satisfying and messy broken right forearm with a bone sticking out, while blood started to pump out everywhere. Needless to say, this 'god' screamed in pain, until I smacked him on the temporal lobe with a single knuckle strike, its' called Ippon ken by the way. I heard the skull fracture.

I couldn't sense any life within the person. "So what's a Goa'uld then Jack?"

"You look awfully familiar, and you're certainly not cleared for that information" I pulled the shoto and shoved it through the brain of the now dead man to make sure and moved it around a bit. Hanging around the preternatural can make you paranoid. Not a bad thing, as paranoid can mean alive as opposed to dead.

I withdrew the blade and waited to see if it would heal. Ah, sod it I thought and cut his bloody head off, picking up the bloody thing and throwing into a dustbin. "What was that for?" Daniel inquired.

"Wanted to make sure he or whatever it was stayed dead. I hate it when things don't quite stay dead."

"Happen a lot does it" said Jack.

"More often than not" I replied.

"You are joking aren't you" said Sam.

"Nope. So whose going to tell me what a Goa'uld is then?"

"He's going to have to debriefed at the SGC" said Jack. Things were taking shape, more info by the minute. "you'll have to come with us, want to hand over your weapons" asked Jack cordially.

"You can have the gun, but the short swords stay with me, Like or lump it really, or you can shoot me? Does this mean we're off to see the wizard at the SGC then, oh and move away from the body folks, want to be sure".

"Why? Of what?"

As they stepped back I used good old sorcery, "Incendia" This was western magic. A large flame enveloped the body, burning it.

"How did you do that" asked Daniel.

"Would you believe magic?"

"Not really"

"You lack faith Daniel"

"I've been told that before, but it still doesn't answer the question"

"Yes it does, magic, I told you" I said walking off.

"Wait, where do you think you're going" shouted Jack.

"Off to my car, are you coming? You have all been drinking and are not fit to drive"

"Lead the way" Jack replied rolling his eyes.

After a short walk we arrived at my car, which is actually one of those large 4 x 4 off road type vehicles. I do quite a lot of off road driving going to all kinds of weird and wonderful places. In the boot of the car, I have a wide variety of weapons, some pistols, a couple of shotguns, a few more sub-machine guns, and a sniper rifle; all with accompanying ammunition. I also have some various hand to hand weapons, swords, axes and the like.

Anyway, I take out the 'clicker' and as you'd expect, all the doors are central locking. I put my back pack in the boot, and climb in the drivers side. I can hear vehicles bearing down on this position from several blocks away, big vans liable to be carrying a large number of personnel. Damn they were quick! Must have been down the road or something. As they turn down the street where I'm parked, Sam walks over towards the road; and they pull over near her. Obviously they must know each other, or have been briefed on her description.

She explains the situation, and they do know each other, and that they are going to back to Cheyenne Mountain, to de-brief me. All of this I guess I'm not supposed to hear, it's damn handy having preternatural hearing.

Jack sits next to me in the front, while Teal'c gets in behind me, Daniel next to him in the middle, and finally Sam behind Jack. Very smart move really, they definitely know what they're doing, keeping me covered from all sides if they need to overpower me. As I start to drive away, we begin the couple of hours drive to Cheyenne Mountain, or the SGC. I know they keep some their NORAD, & deep space telemetry there, but I have never had cause to visit. I'm the more the 'hands on' type, and once given the intelligence, I tend to put it to good use.

It's obvious we could either engage in small talk at this point, which I would normally do; information being power, but given the situation of the big fight earlier. The adrenaline will have removed a majority of the alcohol from the nights drinking they have been indulging on, and so decide against it, their guards will be up. People expect Ninjutsu to be purely about fighting or assassination, it's not. At the much higher levels it's about manipulation, of one's opponent or people around them to achieve the desired effect. A couple of hundred years practice at it, and you tend to get fairly good.

At this point I'm fairly sure I could probably try it with a couple of them, but why bother. All will become fairly clear in a couple of hours. Most of the passengers seem to be settling down, Jack is faking being half asleep at this point, Daniel is getting comfy. In fact the only person wide awake is Teal'c. I examined the passenger behind me with my mystic senses, no one noticed or stirred. I could detect two lifesigns within, like the strange man with glowing eyes I'd just killed. He would need closely watching. So we drove, and by 8am we had arrived at Cheyenne Mountain.

They are all awake as we approach the base, and Jack waves the guard at the gate away to let us in. I park up at this point and Jack starts to rub his eyes, and climbs out of the car. The rest follow suit. I make my way around the to the boot, to get my laptop "Hey what do you think you're doing?" inquired Jack.

"Just getting my laptop"

"Wow, Jack you ought to see this" states Daniel matter of factly pointing at my armoury in the boot.

"Jesus, what are doing with all of that engaging in world war 3. That'll have to quarantined"

"Thanks Jack, let's just take away all my weapons and stop me doing my job"

"What job would that be exactly" inquires Daniel.

"I think the next few hours will be extremely illuminating"

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Jack asked quizzically raising an eyebrow.

"Lead the way McDuff", I've always hated Shakespeare with a passion. I know people say that he was really good and all that, well let me tell you; he was one really screwed up individual. He never did quite figure out his sexual orientation as it were, forever experimenting, and quite mad.

Jack lead the way into the entrance of Cheyenne Mountain. When I say it's absolutely huge, this is no understatement. I'd seen military installations before, but even I was impressed. Whatever they had here was at the very top of the classified tree, well up there with the Initiative anyway. There were guards all over the place, and we went into a lift. Jack inserted an ID card, of sorts, obviously giving a certain level of clearance to the levels below. We went down as far as level 27. I don't really like underground tunnels, labyrinths that kind of thing. I'm more of outdoor person, I can cope with sewers, but almost half a mile inside a bloody huge mountain, not really my idea of a good time.

I concentrated, and gathered my wits, and sort of put my professional head on. Even the most bloodthirsty assassin has to be nice and cordial to clients, otherwise no business. So ten to fifteen discreet deep breaths later I was ready, just in time as the doors opened. Sam got out first "This way please". As I said earlier, off to see the bloody wizard. I was lead to a meeting room, where I was asked to sit down. Two guards were at the door, and the Jack, Daniel and co. from the car journey were standing there. A slightly rotund man with a bald head walked in, a general, he had a fairly commanding presence. "Sir" that comment came from Jack.

"Colonel" I stood up at this point. "Is this the person who needs to be de-briefed?" inquired the general. I was guessing he had to be General Hammond from the conversation earlier.

"Son, I'm General Hammond"

"My name is Mark Sabat, what is it that you do here?" I may as well ask.

"I'm sorry, but I can't give you that information, you just don't have the clearance, we do need you to sign some non-disclosure documentation"

"Not a chance general. Would I assume correctly that you report directly to either the Joint Chiefs or the Presisdent?"

"You would, why?"

"Which one general, former or the latter?" Getting clarity in certain situations is always good, besides I suspected that it was the latter; in which case he had more 'pull' than I did.

"I'm sorry but I can't tell you that". Bugger. I thought about a few scenarios, and decided to tell some of the truth.

"If that's the case general, I can't sign or tell you anything either. You will need to either contact the Joint Chiefs or the President. Make sure you mention my name, they'll know it. Any chance of a coffee? Better yet make it a water. If there's one thing the military can't do is make a decent drink" Jack sort of smiled at this comment, "Been in the military then"

"A long long time ago", and isn't that the truth. I remember the Vietnam War, Korean War, Crimean War, First & Second World Wars. Hitler during the WW2, had found a mystical means of cloning his troops. He had an extra million or so. The League of Extraordinary Gentleman had to stop them. How do you kill that many? Well we used a third nuclear device. I set the timer, and got clear real fast, mystical transport. When I was far enough away I stood and watched. The heat burned my skin, and muscles quite badly, and the bright light fried my retinas and nerves connecting to my brain. I was burnt and blind for three weeks. Those scars healed. The killing of a million people; these scars remain to this day, and I may never heal those mental wounds. I still awake to nightmares of people screaming for help as they burn alive, only to wake screaming myself.

I always keep asking if there were another way, but there wasn't. It wasn't till Hitler died in 1958, that the Occult Wars finally came to an end. I have been a member of BPRP ever since. "You want to tell me more son" asked the general.

"Not really, and tell whomever you talk to it's an Omega situation". The latter is a codeword as a safeguard against another Initiative incident, to stop the military ever trying that crap again, "Take seat colonel, I'll be back in minute", and with that the general walks out of the office. "what's an Omega situation" inquired Daniel.

"When the general returns we'll find out if you have the clearance to find out". Within a minute the general walks back into the meeting room, with a face like thunder. "It would seem that we are to extend every courtesy to you Mr Sabat, and to brief you fully on what we do here. Apparently they, that being the Joint Chiefs, were going to tell you in a week or so anyway. The timetable has moved up a bit that's all". That was refreshing to know, I was about to be entrusted with another top secret project. Oooh goody. Great, more work, just what I needed. Not!

It was at this point the meeting was adjourned for a couple of hours while we all got cleaned up, and refreshed ourselves. When 2pm, or fourteen hundred hours in the military, came and went, their brief started. I was told all about their missions, the Goa'uld, and other races encountered. It was briefing, full on with no punches pulled. This ended about 10pm, with a couple of breaks, multiple questions by me, and answers. My head was reeling. "General, would it be possible to have scanned copies of all the reports and documentation. I'm keeping a database, and think this information that would be useful. I will also give you a copy of mine when we have done my brief. Shall be say 10am with bacon sandwiches and coffee?"

I went to bed and slept like a log, with snakes headed demons trying to possess me in my dreams. I awoke early, and asked where the exercise room, or gym was. The airman said just down the hall. So off I trotted for some practice. I start with some light stretching, then went to hitting the bag a few times. I then started with a few slow Katas, and moved onto the more dynamic and powerful stuff.

It was at this point I got an audience in Teal'c and Sam, who seemed to be fairly impressed. Sam looked at me, "What martial art was that from, it looked like some form of Kung fu"

"That last one", when she nodded, "It was a very old Shaolin form. The ones before that were equally as old, but from an old ninja school".

"How many martial arts do you know?" I just smiled at this.

"What about you Teal'c, Sam, what art do you use"

"You will not have heard of it" If it was a Jaffa one that was quite likely.

"Sam, what about you"

"I don't really, just basic unarmed combat".

"Fair enough. Better go and get showered before the brief. See you later". And off I went to avoid any other questions. I hate having to explain myself more than once, it's one of my hates.

We were all sitting there awaiting my brief. They were all in airforce blue standards, I did however carry a few spare changes on clothes in the car. I received permission, and airman brought my things to my room. I decide to wear some jeans and a t-shirt, with some comfortable deck shoes. It was at this point I launched into my presentation. I told them that the beginning of world was all wrong, 'demons' had been here long before the dinosaurs and man. I explained the different types of Vampires, about Lycans. That the world still had these 'demons' living here, and the bar they had come out of yesterday was full of them. I explained that an Executive Order (i.e. Presidential) prevented them being brought in for questioning, or capture or medical study. I showed various pictures stored on my laptop; I sort of accidentally on purpose left out Immortals, but I did explain about magic.

I was actually given permission to go through the Stargate with SG-1 to a friendly planet. Just to experience what the travel felt like. I walked towards the glowing circle that had a surface resembling water. As I stepped through, it was like a thousand ice cubes touching my body all at once, while going through a force ten gale in a Cruise Ship. I've never been much for sea travel as I said. I got to the other side and was violently sick.

"You okay?" inquired Jack.

"Wish you could have told me about what it was like. I've always hated travelling by sea"

"You didn't ask"

"Thanks Jack. Is there anything I need to know"

"Silence there is someone coming" responded Teal'c in a harsh whisper. My sense of self preservation took over, dispelling the sickness as quickly as it came. The survival instinct can do that, or you end up dead.

We each ran in the direction Teal'c was pointing and took up defensible positions twenty yards away behind a few large rocks. Oh I hadn't described the place. It was like being in a forest on Earth, but before settlements and cities were built. Lots and trees, and bushes, large rocks to hide behind. For me it was like stepping back in time.

Ten, fairly large humans walked through a break in the trees towards the Stargate, each had chain mail armour on, with a large metal breastplate. The armour did not look like normal steel, and I presumed was probably bulletproof. In the middle of these men, was an immaculately dressed human in then same style, with an almost regal bearing to him. "Jaffa Kree".

It sounded a bit like, dog heel to me. Maybe they would jump through hoops in minute but I doubted it. "Someone has been sick here my lord" stated dog no.1, "and not long ago, maybe less than a minute". I was getting that sinking feeling again, and I wasn't going to be sick. It's onset just before you know something really bad is about to happen.

We all heard a ship or what is known as glider fly overhead. Suddenly all the 'dogs' made their way to wards us, "Oh crap" I heard Jack whisper under his breathe. My bloody sentiments exactly. "Come out from behind the rocks, we know you are there", that from dog no.1 again. "Come stand before your god". Sometimes things get real old really quickly. They must have used infra-red to see us. Damn damn damn!

Jack stood up, and came out from behind the bushes, with the rest of SG-1. I followed, no getting out of this at the minute. "Ah the infamous SG-1, who will die by their gods hand first" said the Goa'uld, looking straight at Jack. "Kill him Jaffa". Jack was going to be toast unless I did something. If SG-1 hadn't been there I would have killed them, but didn't want to risk their lives if they didn't get out of the way in time. I just didn't think the 'dog' soldiers were good enough to get me alone. But that wasn't the situation so time to deal. Out of the frying pan into the furnace.

"I will die, but I want it in the heart"

"So you are brave one"

"Braver than you snake face"

"You dare insult me?"

"I've not seen such a rag tag of group of amateurs for about ten years". This got me backhanded in mouth from the leader. If I could just annoy him some more they might make a mistake. Oh well, here's hoping.

"Is that the best you can do, my grandmother's dogs hits harder", another punch in the mouth, and hit in the spinal column with the back end of a staff weapon from dog no.1, I think. Being Immortal has its benefits, we are able to take an awful lot of punishment and my knees did not buckle under the onslaught. I just stood there.

My spine was still killing me at this point, and had blood dripping out of my mouth from the two punches. I controlled my Quickening and preventing healing, looking the Goa'uld directly in the eye. "Oh come on, can't you do better than that? Don't bother to use your wrist device thingy, it tickles"

"You really want to die at your gods hands"

"You aint even godlike in my opinion. I've performed better miracles when I was worshipped. Cast me down with a lightening bolt, ooh I forgot you haven't .."

My speech got interrupted at the point by the blunt end of a staff weapon straight into my nose. It was broken, blood everywhere. Although I wasn't healing, I refused to fall down. I then let my Quickening heal all of my current wounds right in front of their eyes. I turned to Jack "When I attack them, start shooting".

"What are you?" asked the Goa'uld.

I can stop normal guns, and computers, electrical items and various technological things from working, their weapons are an extension surely? That's what I hoped. With magic it isn't a case of I want something to burst into flame, and so it does. It takes energy, and their can be other effects on the environment. You could throw a fireball, but the area around the mage might covered in frost. Plus people who are sensitive would certainly feel something, usually their hairs stand up on their forearms and neck. Many feel like they can't breath temporarily, almost like the magic invades them or a sensory overload. Those are the common effects.

My power flared very quickly and very suddenly, reaching outwards for the anything technological or electrical. As it rolled across every one there like a rush of insects crawling over cloth, across their skin and down their backs; the effect was a bit like being connected to static charge generator, and inhaling very cold air all at the same time, or so I'm told. Those sensitive gasped very briefly, and the air had a preternatural chill to it now. You could see their breath coming from their mouth and noses.

"Shoot me you cowardly excuse of an animal" I said approaching dog no.1.

A person can shout at you how they intend to hurt or kill you through clenched teeth and raging anger in their eyes. Cold blooded killers have way of saying things sometimes, usually very calmly and very clearly, but just loud enough for you to hear what they intend to do to you.

This is what I did. I then said very calmly and very softly "I'm going to murder you" and advanced. He tried to open his staff weapon, which didn't work. He then obviously tried to press the fire button. Absolutely nothing happened. It was at this point they all tried the same. In the temporary confusion I pulled out my shoto, remember short sword, and slashed dog no.1 face open across the eyes blinding him. "You are going to die last remember this" I said to him.

I drew my other shoto & set about killing his associates. SG-1 killed the Goa'uld and a few others. I slashed a throat here, disembowelling there, inserting a hither and thither. It was at this point I sensed a murderous presence, and saw out of the corner of my eye, the Goa'uld parasite leaping in the air & heading straight for the back of my neck. "Oh crap" said Jack again, for second time that day. Oh crap indeed. It entered and burrowed into my neck and tried to wrap around my spinal cord and insert itself into my brain.

Strange thing about Immortals and Quickening. We have very high metabolic rates, we can get stronger through exercise and lifting weights; should we eat too much we can get fat. If something doesn't directly harm us, then our Quickening doesn't react. Alcohol is burnt off so fast sometimes it can be hard to stay drunk. Poison is the same, a normal fatal dose of cyanide for a human will not kill me. My body will neutralise and remove it. If I drunk a pint of it, other than the crap taste, my Quickening would be healing the body and destroying the damaging agent. So it was with the Goa'uld. I feel a surge of Quickening up my spine, electrocuting the offending parasite while my body broke it down like a large bit of bacteria.

While this was happening, the fighting was dieing down, pardon my pun. I saw dog no.1, he was crawling on the ground on all fours trying to escape. You could sense the fright and fear in him quite readily. While SG-1 mopped up, I approached dog no.1 saying quite calmly in his ear "There is no afterlife with any god, just cold oblivion" and cut his throat open from ear to ear. More blood everywhere. Like I said I can be a cold blooded killer sometimes. You didn't need mystical powers to sense his terror as he died in shakes and spasms.

"Sir look" Sam said pointing at me.

"Oh Jesus" screamed Jack, "You didn't have to kill him"

"Yes I did. Cleansio" I said. That last phrase was magic, and I visualised the effect and used my internal energies. All of the sudden the air around me vibrated and shimmered & blood started to disappear off my clothes and shoto. "Good as new".

"What, how did you.." Daniel was in the middle of asking and was very rudely interrupted. I had stopped concentrating, and a stray staff shot from a not quite dead Jaffa got me dead centre in the back. Death always hurts. Coming back was sometimes equally as painful, that gasping & fighting for breath as you sit up again.

Death by staff weapon is really painful, my insides were fried, broiled & some exploded as well. Yippee! "Don't leave my body here" and I died. I woke coughing and gasping for breathe, and sat up. As I opened my eyes, a sheet fell off me. It was a white sheet and that could mean only one thing. I was obviously on table probably a morgue somewhere. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"You're not a vampire are you?"

"Yes Jack I was supposed to dead, and no Daniel I'm not a vampire" I said looking around very briefly for other witnesses, of which there was a female doctor with short auburn hair with SG-1.

"That's impossible, no one can heal like that especially after their dead. At least no kind of Goa'uld that I know of" she said. I swung my legs off the bed, and stood upright.

"What are you exactly? Can you get the snakehead out of him" said Jack gesturing in my direction.

"I'm not a Goa'uld. I'm immune"

"As if, no one is immune to them"

"Run any medical test you like, I have no parasite inside me"

"Doc do the honours will you, till he's clean he does not leave this room"

"Are you saying that it cannot control you, or that your body can resist it like a bacterial infection" asked Daniel.

"Bit of both really".

After several X-rays, MRI scans all the while being watched like a hawk by two airman near the door. During this time I'd learned the doctors name was Janette Frasier. A few more hours later and the general came down accompanied by SG-1.

"Well doc, what's the verdict" asked Jack across the opposite side of the room, hoping I couldn't hear.

"He's telling the truth, no trace of any Goa'uld in or near his brain. He does not have any genetic markers that would suggest a Goa'uld has attempted to control him. Plus, he has no scars anywhere. He has totally healed from his wounds from the staff weapon earlier"

"No wounds or scars at all" inquired General Hammond.

"None. And to first examinations upon arrival he was dead. No pulse or heart beat. No heart period, it had exploded when he was hit earlier. Not to say, most his left lung was gone, spinal column broken. All scans show he is human, yet he obviously can't be" The General walked over in my direction.

"You want to give me something son? Tell me who or what you are"

"This must stay completely confidential, and off the record or no chance"

"I could hold you here indefinitely"

"Can you just get all non-essential personnel out of here and I'll consider it"

"You're not going to try anything foolish are you"

"I don't want to hurt anyone, just to be left alone and to do my job. Please de-activate any electronic recording devices too"

"Okay. But you must tell us the complete truth" Fat chance of that, but 60 would get me off the hook. "Colonel, can you turn off any electronic devices?"

"Sure General" and off he went. Within a minute he was back.

"Okay. I've mentioned all the usual preternaturals, but I missed off my race. The others may be immortal as a side effect of their condition."

"You mean vampires, Lycans that kind of thing"

"Exactly. I belong to another species, I am part of a species called the Immortals. Whereas Lycans and vampires are bitten, or sired etc. After our first death we become Immortal. There seems to be no pattern to it. We heal faster than any other of our cousins. Our power seems repel other preternaturals. But we do fight and kill one another"

"Kill how, and for what reason"

"As for the how, none of your damn business. The reason is the prize. You see when an Immortal kills another, the winner gains the others Quickening which contains all the others knowledge and power"

"You mean almost like stealing their soul"

"Similar Daniel. If the other Immortal remembers walking in a field with a friend three hundred years ago, so does the winner. Every memory the loser had belongs to the winner. Everything, no secrets"

"You still haven't answered the question about the Prize"

"No I haven't because no Immortal truly knows. It could be the ability to grow old and have children. Some say the Prize should not fall to an evil Immortal else it will spell despair, darkness and death for all mankind"

"I'm supposed to believe that"

"They've felt me using magic fairly recently. Imagine an Immortal with the essence of every other. Every experience since the dawn of man"

"That would be quite a power"

"Godlike is the word I would use General. Quite frankly I don't want it, wouldn't trust myself. But I don't want to die either"

"A Sensible precaution. How long ago were you born" Here comes the lie.

"About 300 years ago. Did you know that every friend, wife, or girlfriend I've ever had has been killed. At least bar one"

"I'm sorry to hear that. It must be a very painful life"

"Sometimes you have no idea. Am I free to go. None of this will be repeated to Upstairs as it were"

"You have my word"

"I know you probably all have questions. I'll even tell you how wrong your history books are but for now I need to lie down. I feel very world weary all of a sudden. Excuse me" And off I went to my room. There was something very trustworthy about these people. They had not lied to me during their briefing, I knew that. When a person lies their heart rate changes, and speeds up. No ones' hear rate had changed during the briefing.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 – The Wamphyri Goa'uld**

A small delegation of Tokra had just walked through the Stargate a few hours ago, and we were currently sitting through a briefing of and I quote "Important information regarding the Goa'uld". The two Tokra present were Anice, and Pretona.

The former is female and a slightly leggy who is both very toned and quite attractive Tokra, with short blonde coloured hair and a apparent age of about 35 years old. While the latter had very very red hair, almost orange, and pale complexion, again reasonably slim female of about 40 ish years old. Both wore very dark brown dresses and lighter colour tops.

I'd not even interviewed the airman who had supposedly drawn the circles of power, and here we were up to assess in alligators. "Now if you can all look at your screen for a minute this is a Goa'uld being shot with a zat". Like I've not seen this before. Maybe it would be something new.

What we could see was a tall, almost lanky Goa'uld standing on the bridge of a ship, looked like a one of their main pyramid type ships; I forget the names sometimes. This Goa'uld looked emaciated, with highly pronounced cheek bones, and sunken eye sockets. The shot didn't effect him, only to be shot a second and third time with no effect, "Now you shall serve me, your Wamphyri god", and with that his jaws distended like a Lycan, teeth elongating, limbs and body lengthening and becoming bigger. In short it became an almost 9 foot tall bat like creature that could quite happily bite the head off a tiger. Now this was new, I've never seen them able to do that. This Goa'uld then advanced on the person firing the zat. The shooter had obviously just grabbed a staff weapon and started firing.

It was blasting the Goa'uld, wounds opening and creating lots of blood but not slowing it down at all. The wounds already beginning to heal, Immortal fast. All of a sudden it jumped in the air and flew, flesh lengthening to reveal wings straight at the shooter. The transmission ended abruptly.

"What the hell was that" asked Jack

"We don't know, and are unfamiliar with the word 'wamphyri', only that our operative did not survive, and we fear that the Goa'uld may have found a new kind of host. One that to all intents and purposes is almost unkillable" At that point SG-1 looked in my direction.

"No it's not one of us" I replied. I've never seen an Immortal heal like that, so was fairly confident it wasn't. Most Immortals bleed when cut, it is possible for us to will our body not to should we desire it. Usually the Immortal must be at least 500 years old. "I don't want to sound alarmist, but several things concern me though. The word 'wamphyri' is too alike to vampire to be a coincidence and that it turned into a bloody huge bat with almost preternatural healing"

"What is vampire" asked Pretona

"It's a creature that is immortal and drinks the blood of other beings to stay alive" replied Daniel.

"That is not possible. No being can survive on blood alone not even if they have some rare medical condition." I could see Anice was trying to be intelligent, as well as attractive. She was succeeding in the latter very well.

"I have come across several species of vampire, maybe there are more. I even know of one that's' heart does not beat and nor do they breathe"

"How is this possible?" that from Anice again.

"That's a complicated story we don't really have time for, you'll just have to trust that it's true", sometimes Daniel can be quite the diplomat.

"We need to research and cross reference the word 'wamphyri' and quickly. I would suggest that me and Daniel pool our resources and see what we come up with"

"Sounds like a good plan. Any ideas for the rest of us, sit around and play scrabble perhaps"

"I don't know Jack. I think we should contact whatever teams we have and get intelligence real fast. Maybe your intel can help backup whatever else me and Danny find out" I've known for a few years now that Jack likes to play dumb, and be a prankster. He then waits for an answer & uses it to assess the surrounding personnel. Quite a clever way of doing things, but then Jack has always been covertly intelligent.

"Sounds like a plan, let's do it".

So our meeting dissolved and I was busy looking at my laptop for information. "I've absolutely nothing yet what about you Daniel?"

No not really. Just a few old Greek and Sumerian legends about blood drinkers, almost 5000 years ago. I did come across one article from the ruins of PX34-734 though"

"I don't remember that in a report. What does it say"

"Just that they had tales of stealers of liquid lifeforce, presumably blood; this was written over ten thousand years ago"

"Lemme see that. Never knew vamps were that old". You when you watch a horror movie or something scares you and all the hairs on your arms or neck stand to attention. Well, that was me at the minute. "That implies that vampirism is of alien origin"

"Possibly, or that it existed here before there was written record of it. Maybe even went through the Stargate before man learnt to fear it. Or like you say it is entirely of alien origin"

"I thought I was paranoid", which I am by the way. "I'm going to tap a few other resources I know of, see if they can find anything"

"You cannot tell them about the Stargate".

"I was going to speak to the new Watcher Council, we have a couple of their Slayers on loan, and my team"

"Okay, but if it's anyone else"

"I know Danny. I've been doing the secret agent stuff a long time". I dialled Giles first, "Giles it's Mark. Are you okay to talk?"

"Yes why"

"I don't want to sound rude, but I need to tap your resources at Watcher HQ. Have a bit of a situation. Have you ever heard of the word Wamphyri. I know it sounds like vampire. But they can transform into a huge nine foot plus bat monstrosity capable of flight. It's immune to zat and staff blasts ". For some reason I could imagine Giles taking off his glasses to polish them at this point. "Giles are you still there"

"Dear Lord, if what you say is true, we have a new player on the field"

"Not just that, but it had taken over a Goa'uld host somehow"

"At least it's not on this planet then"

"I hope not. But whatever intel you give me would be appreciated. Can you get hold of Joe Dawson, and Adam and recruit there aid too"

"Of course. We'll be in touch, where can I get hold of you"

"Yeh, here with Daniel at the SGC hitting the books"

"I will call you within the next couple of hours"

"Thanks Giles. I owe you another. Bye"

"They're not being forgotten either", there was just a tad of laughter to his voice, tinged with weariness and sadness. "Giles are you okay"

"Yeh fine"

"Why are so defensive. What up?"

"Well it appears that Buffy is dating a friend of yours". Oh god. I didn't like the sound of this.

"Who is it"

"The Highlander"

"Why did she get involved with him for? He so judgemental and a total boyscout. Don't get me wrong Giles, I have a lot of time for him but we clash in so many ways as Joe will tell you"

"He did tell me. They also spar together a lot and she never wins. I think it gets her down" What the hell was I supposed to say to that. Buffy wouldn't ever beat Duncan, he's fighting in wars for four hundred plus years.

"Just say hello to everyone will you? Is Faith there?"

"Her and Robin are out and busy looking for a house at the minute in Surrey somewhere with the money you gave them". Angel had been subject to prophecy a few years back with Darla, and two vampires had conceived in a human fashion through sex. I had been subject to a prophecy some twenty plus years ago, a one night stand with a woman; the result was Faith. I did not know till years later, I had visited the Oracles and was told outright that I had a daughter who was a Slayer. I was also told to protect her. I had used my credentials to have her DNA and mine tested for match. Unsurprisingly it was true.

Faith was in jail for murder and other assorted charges. I went to visit her a couple of times with Angel having explained the situation to him. On the third visit I told her. I had expected the worse, but she had been orphaned at a young age, and seemed strangely accepting with Angel being present. I had arranged for her release to Sunnydale, and driven her. I also gave her a present to keep her safe. There is a potent mystical artefact called the 'Witchblade', and another weapon almost identical called the 'Mageblade'. When she and Robin moved to England with the other Watchers and Slayers, I give her a few million dollars to find a nice place and ensure she was financially secure.

"Okay Giles. Let me know if you need me back there at any point. Take care and speak to you soon"

"You too. Bye"

Well that was unexpected, Buffy dating Duncan Macleod of the Clan Macleod. I'd have to contact Adam ( Aka Methos) in a couple of weeks and see how they're getting on. Must concentrate on matters at hand, so I dialled the number of the BRPD "Myers is that you?"

"It is, who is that?" Sometimes I forget that not everyone has preternatural hearing.

"It's Mark, are you free to talk for five minutes?"

"Yeh sure"

"Cos I need you to check whatever resources you have there. Specifically a word Wamphyri, I know it sounds like vampire but I think they are different"

"Okay, how soon do you need an answer?"

"As soon as really. I contacted the new Watchers to get them going"

"I'll contact you within 24 hours and let you know"

"Thanks Myers. Say hi to Abe, HB & Liz would you"

"Okay, bye" Well that was a second resource, the best ones really.

"That sounded a bit tense"

"No problem Daniel, I hope. I need to see this thing in action, let's find out where it was headed and arrange a meeting. Do you have any vampires on missions at the moment?"

"Yeh, PSG-2 are due back shortly." What PSG stands for I'll leave you bright sparks to figure out. "Let's get them back. We're going hunting" and I walked towards the Jack's office. Ten minutes later, and a determined Daniel kept up, albeit slightly out of breath. I knocked on his door even though I knew he was alone, preternatural hearing is a wonderful thing.

"Come"

"Hi Jack, can you recall PSG-2?"

"Why would I want to do that?"

"I think Mark wants to go hunting" said Daniel. Jack gave me one his quizzical looks, raising an eyebrow "You're joking right?"

"No. I want to take a preternatural SG team and see what this Goa'uld is really capable of and report back"

"Absolutely not. It's too dangerous."

"I know it's dangerous Jack. But we need to get info, and taking a team that is hard to kill seems the most sensible way. I even happy to backed by a normal SG team, but they observe and record only. No help. I won't have their lives on my conscience"

"I'm starting to agree with Mark, it might be a good plan. But we get to safety at the earliest opportunity"

"I agree. No heroics"

"Come one both of you, we have to see what it is really capable of"

"Okay, if you get close enough, but no unnecessary risks, and that's an order" said Jack.

"When do I take risks" I said putting on my best innocent face. I thought about pouting, but decided that might be taking it too far.

"That's what I'm afraid of" Jack retorted. "Okay, I'll get them back, you leave in one hour, with SG-1 as backup. If you don't agree then the mission is off"

"Fine. I'll get prepped"

"I'll speak to the Tokra and find out which planet they were headed towards" I walked off to get some equipment. I took the usual clothing, light blue t-shirt; see I can do different colours. Dark blue swat trousers, with usual footwear, a BP vest. I had my two usual pistols with combined anti-vampire and Lycan rounds. A shoto on either hip, and a Katana slung over my back; like Blade usually does. In a backpack I also had spare ammo, lots of it, and a radio.

PSG-2, the team consisted of, a Coven type vampire, a Lycan, a Slayer and a mutant. Elemental type capable of throwing fireballs. Despite individual abilities, all teams are required to dress in SG standard uniforms. This is mainly to help identify them to 'allies', and to ensure the enemy are not able to distinguish between the two types of team. There are four other PSG teams, although PSG-1 technically consists of the League.

We were all standing in gate room, near the disembarking ramp waiting for all the chevrons to engage. "Okay everyone, let's get ready to rock and roll. You all know the drill. No heroics, we just need to get as much info on this Goa'uld" and the familiar ripple of the Stargate as it activated. I led the way with PSG-2, and SG-1 followed ten seconds behind. Never guess where we were, on a planet whose nearest star system was Tulac. Fantastic, not!

I was really concentrating at this point not to be sick, and arrived to a nice green planet, and no enemy in sight. As both teams came through. "Right we're going due north towards the nearest settlement. SG-1 follow twenty minutes behind. Everyone okay with that. If anything goes drastically wrong SG-1 pull our collective arses out of the fire"

"Yeh fine with that" said Sam.

"Quite", good old stoic Teal'c.

"Good , let's move out" and off PSG-2 marched with me at point. "Stay alert".

I had been around a few Hellmouths before and fought Turok Han previously, knowing full well what to expect. When Buffy fought the First Evil I provided guns for the Slayers with anti-vamp rounds. Why waste energy fighting a numerically superior opponent when you can shoot him and his friends at ten meters with your little friends that move a damn sight faster. If you catch my drift.

The Slayer, Kathy, was quite attractive. She reminded me of Kennedy a little bit who by the way had wanted a transfer to the SGC. I had vehemently blocked the application. She was too arrogant and couldn't be trusted to obey orders. Although Kathy had none of those issues. Each PSG member had been ordered to serve a month with a normal SG unit to learn 'the ropes', and find out how good some of the humans really were.

I firmly believe many came away quite surprised at what they handle on a day to day basis. After the First had been beaten back, I had organised some of the more senior and surviving Slayers through military training. I had to clear it through the Joint Chiefs, but they were okay with it. First was Seal training, I wanted them to experience 'Hell Week' and weapons training combined with modern techniques. After that the ones that showed promise were placed through SAS training, very few made that. Only four or five, including Buffy and Faith passed with flying colours. This training was then 'passed down the line' to other Slayers. I wanted to ensure that should Slayers ever need to enter the Lycan / Coven vampire conflict they would be prepared and not slaughtered. Wouldn't do to take a sword to a gunfight.

I could hear voices approximately 300 meters up ahead, definitely Jaffa. I signalled my tea, and we approached cautiously closing the distance slowly. My mystic senses were starting to go haywire. It felt like a million insects were crawling all over my skin and taking it away with them. I looked at my team who seemed to experiencing the same thing, and they seemed equally unnerved by it. "No one push back against it. I want to make sure that whatever is causing thinks we're human. Just concentrate as much as possible", I looked back at my team who all gave the 'thumbs up sign' and proceeded.

The closer we got, the worse it became. At two hundred meters you could almost see the insects making off with your skin "I don't like this boss" said the Lycan called Frankie. He appeared average in every sense of the word. "I agree" replied Peter. He was the vampire.

"I concur" said Mary, she was the mutant if you hadn't guessed.

"So do I" said Kathy.

"Are you all okay to go on", I whispered. It got me nods from all four heads. "Sam, its Mark. Do you have our position? If so do not follow our path inwards. We hit a wall of power that feels quite unpleasant even for us. Try another way around. Do not respond to this transmission"

Me and my team carried on. At one hundred meters you could see the damn insects, even though we all knew they weren't real. At this range we could see through the underbrush and got a glimpse of an encampment of about twenty Jaffa and ten big tents. I could also see a Witchgate against a nearby hillock, right next to the tents. This was bad. Since my first encounter with SG-1, both me and the PSG teams had learnt to distinguish between a Jaffa and a Goa'uld. "Okay team, don't hold back, push back now. See what you can sense"

There were four Goa'ulds that seemed to set off my mystic senses more than usual, they were not visible and must be in the tents. Although they seemed vaguely different somehow, they screamed of power and it sent a chill down my spine. All the wards around the Witchgate glowed and a portal started to shimmer in the doorway. The Witchgate activated, and ten more people walked through. Have you ever been in a dark room, and someone shines a torch directly at you. All of a sudden you go blind. Being mystically blind is a terrible thing, talk about losing an appendage!

These Goa'uld that walked through the Witchgate looked no different to usual. They were dressed in the normal smart Egyptian manner; and had the usual swagger of arrogance that Goa'uld have. The other four Goa'uld walked out of the nearest tent. "We have visitors" and his eyes glowed.

"I know. Bring them before me" said the leader? He was normal build and height, except his black head was completely bald. Nothing exceptional. "Yes my lord" and this Goa'uld advanced. He was also slight of build, and then I realised the four Goa'uld that came from the tent all had the similar appearance, sunken eye sockets with that emaciated look.

"Prepare to move out and report back to SG-1" I said drawing both pistols. My team aimed their P90's. He was clearly walking towards me. "Screw this" I said and strode out of the underbrush and shot the first Goa'uld clean through the brain with mixed anti vamp / Lycan rounds. He just smiled at me, then his legs buckled. He collapsed to the floor as the silver started to flow through his veins like it would on a Lycan. I looked the head snake head directly in the eye, and shot the one next to him. At this point my team opened up and started firing full bursts. Things went completely tits up at this point!

Several things happened all at once. Most of the Jaffa were shot by my teams preternatural aim & reflexes. The two other emaciated Goa'uld caught in the crossfire stood there like the bullets meant nothing. Those that had just come through the gate got shot, and fell to the floor apparently dead, except one. Go team. PSG-2 started to advance from their cover. Then power from the only standing Goa'uld from the Witchgate flooded over me. It was icy cold like death, and my breath caught in my throat for a second. Suddenly this power became a solid thing and a telekinetic force knocked me over and the guns flew from my hands, followed by my teams and their guns.

"Put any other of your weapons down little humans, we are truly gods. Not the false gods that the other Goa'uld believe themselves to be". I did a double take at this point, they actually admitted to Goa'uld being false gods. Wow! Turn up for the books or what.

"When did you realise that you were false gods" asked Frankie

"Since we all became Wamphyri. I see you have two of our creations with you" said the telekinetic Goa'uld.

"I don't understand", I said opening a channel on my radio, one way only.

"The vampire and changeling"

"Since when did you create Lycans and Vampires?"

"I do not know what your two female friends are, but they will be our servants and birth Wamphyri children"

"Not on your life bat face" replied Kathy.

"She has spirit. Easy to control though" and he looked her directly in the eye. Kathy started to become more open minded to suggestion. I've seen vampires do it many a time. I stepped in front of Kathy blocking his view of her, preventing the psychic attack.

"Let's see how you fare against this" said Mary and flame started to appear in her hand. Things went wrong again, as Jack would say "oh crap".

Frankie started to get annoyed and began his change into a Lycan, ripping his clothes as he did so. Peter's eyes went more vampire like and his fangs began to show. The one I had been talking to began to change into a twelve foot bat thing, teeth easily a foot long. Frankie charged him only to be knocked away and discarded like a child. It was obviously very strong. Peter was dealt with the same way, hitting the hill leaving an imprint where he bounced. Mary let go with a massive jet of flame straight at him. He screamed and caught fire. I was about to draw my katana and make my way towards them, only to feel another chill of the grave solidify. I reached out with my right hand, feeling my power extend along it and towards the oncoming force, solidifying it as they did, preventing the telekinetic attack. It was only one of them pushing with Tk. He was powerful.

"Hit them again Mary" I shouted, while Kathy pulled a large two handed axe off her back. I could feel another one of them reaching out with their power towards Kathy, and Mary. I could attack and let them be hurled away, hoping they didn't die from impact damage or hold off their attack. I stretched out my left hand, feeling my magic flow along it as I did so, holding another telekinetic attack at bay.

A strange mist started to flow around us, blocking our view of each other. I've seen Hugo do this many times, and have never been able to emulate or disperse it, no matter how hard I try. Only my sight had been blocked previously. Somehow this was blocking my sense of hearing and smell, let alone sight. I heard a cry of pain, not sure if Lycan or Vampire. Followed by two others, and then a head rolled past my feet, Lycan. Just because I couldn't see, hear or smell them I could sense their killing intention towards me. Something I picked up from my martial art training, feeling killing intention can save your life if you can't see the enemy.

I gathered my magic together into a tight ball, pushing it into the centre of my being, and felt my Quickening flow into it. I picked the nearest murderous intention, and let the magic flow up my arms and out my fingers of my left hand. Purple lightening laced with Quickening flew out of my hands towards my enemy. As the bolts hit, I pushed him back and physically lifted him through the air throwing him some twenty feet away. At this point Peter flew past my face, and landed in an unmoving heap three feet away. I drew my Katana "Let's dance!" Doing flashy magic lightening is one thing, I prefer a pointy sword, always have. Usually has more permanent effects.

I emptied my mind and felt the waves of intention roll towards me. I then did the usual when I fight, get really really angry. None of this calmness mental stillness malarkey. The more angry you get, the stronger you become and the harder to stop. I'd learnt this early on during my ninja training. Use your emotions to make you stronger. Anger and hate being very powerful. As I walked through the mist I saw Kathy lying in a bleeding heap, able to barely move, her intestines hanging out of her abdomen. The large bat thing held Mary by the throat, both her arms broken. It had obviously seen me, but I approached any way "Put her down" I said and moved at the monster really fast slicing at its elbow. I caught it slicing through meat, bone and tendons and nerves. Mary fell to the floor squealing as she landed on her broken arms. The things arm below the elbow hit the ground with her. No scream of pain or anything, almost no blood too.

"You're full of surprises" he said. It was at this point that I realised they were trying to form a triangle and surround me. All my team were down. I picked the nearest one and went flat out, a horizontal cut for the abdomen, followed by a diagonal cut from his right hip to left shoulder. I then had to turn quickly to avoid being cut from behind. These things were fast. I did a low roll executing a lower leg cut as I did so. I felt my blade bite into flesh and bone. As I came up to standing I punched the one just cut into his kidneys with all the force I could muster. I've knocked Lycans up to ten feet away with a good punch. He barely grunted and was knocked a couple of feet away. He nearly elbowed me in the head had I not moved. Although the one I was fighting one was a forearm down, with a bad leg wound. I doubted serious kidney damage would prevent him from fighting.

I looked to my right and a claw strike was aimed at my head. I counter cut the incoming arm. The attacker screamed in pain. Mmmm…. Interesting. I didn't get time to continue that line of thought though. Having to dodge another claw strike aimed for my midsection. This was going badly, for not only were they strong, but fast to boot. I charged my sword with Quickening; the more powerful the Immortal the sharper their blade becomes. I cut a swath of sword strokes towards my nearest opponent, it dodged deftly each one narrowly missing. But I was attacking with a plan, to impose a mistake allowing a fatal sword cut. Aha there it was. As I executed an upper cut with the sword towards its face, the bat thing merely turned its body sideways. I stopped the cut abruptly and stepping with the left leg and cutting straight across and into the body. I cut the damn thing in half, body and legs falling to the floor. A claw raked across my back straight through my bullet proof vest, teeth narrowly missing my left shoulder. I screamed in pain. The claw strike was a deep wound, partially severing my spinal column. I willed my Quickening to heal it, and reached out with my magic, hitting one in the chest and throwing it backward ten feet into its accomplice. As the preternatural mist started to fade away, I saw the so called dead Goa'uld out the Witchgate were starting to get up. The one that was cut in half was crawling towards its legs.

"You've got be kidding!" I said and cut the head of the bat thing crawling towards its legs. As the head rolled on the floor I kicked it ten feet away. All of a sudden I felt a vibration of movement behind me, and a bat creature was coming towards me flying through the air. Another ran at me very fast. They timed it perfectly. I could either attack the one flying or the runner, but not both. One would get me. Their strategy was good although flawed, option three was best. I jumped out of the way, unfortunately the runner moved just in time and barely nudged me. It was enough to send me tumbling, and drop my sword. I came up from a low combat roll to look at the two Goa'ulds that had transformed moments ago into twelve foot bat monstrosities, both intent on hurting or killing me. I had to end this quick, my team were dying on the ground. I stepped to my left and attacked the nearest, which took a swipe at me with a claw.

I blocked the attack, and kicked its right kneecap into non-existence, as it started to fall, I hit it as hard as possible in the throat holding onto the attacking arm for balance and to keep sensitivity of its movements. I hit it again in the head feeling bone give way under my strike. I stepped in and straightened its right arm, with the elbow pointing skyward. I finally stepped in with my right leg and hit the elbow with the knife edge of my right hand. The elbow bent the opposite way that it was supposed to. I let go of the arm and grabbed its' head with both hands, I rotated sharply to my right, or the creatures left. I heard vertebrae snap quite audibly satisfactorily. The other one remained, it's leg had almost healed, but it still had no right arm below the elbow.

It was at this point SG-1 came charging in. Thank crap for the cavalry. "Use my guns, the silver is harmful to them" I went to pick up my katana and put it away, slowly trying not to aggravate what would have been a fatal spinal wound in a human. SG-1 started firing their guns anyway. Teal'c picked up Kathy, and Daniel lifted up Mary, "Watch it, both her arms are broken" I said to Daniel. I didn't have time to wait for them to get up and attack again. I ran to retrieve my pistols, and switched them to full automatic so they fired like a submachine gun. I couldn't shoot as many rounds as a P90, but my rounds seemed to be relatively fatal.

I directed my magic at the monsters, and concentrated on it enveloping them. I felt them push back, so the best I could do was create a ring of fire around for containment "Incendia infernum". This spell literally means the fires of hell, no way I could have done that during the fight, I'd have got creamed, whether it be temporary or final death. I picked up Peter, it was too late for Frankie. But damned if I would leave his body there. I picked up both of my guns, and emptied the entire magazine into his chest. Why didn't I shoot through the wall of fire? This fire will melt titanium, and can slightly tarnish adamantium. I kid you not. The bullets wouldn't even penetrate. I'd tried it before on a target range outdoors.

The next thing I saw didn't surprise me one bit, both of the bat things trapped in the circle of flame vanished sidestepping into what ignorant people called the spirit realm. I though about following. But I was hurt, my team almost dead. If we didn't run now, they could pop up right behind one of SG-1, or someone else who wouldn't sense anything. "Sam can you take Pete on second", handing him over. I emptied a few rounds into one of the Goa'uld that had just got up, and picked it up bodily.

"Lets get out of here, now run"

"They just vanished didn't they" inquired Daniel.

"Yes, and that's the problem. Run as fast to the Stargate as possible, move"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8- Epilogue 

The doctors reports were not good. We'd lost one team member, Frankie the Lycan. If Kathy had been human, she'd be dead, but because she was the Slayer she should survive. The same could be said for Pete, although he had broken almost every bone in his body, but in a day he would be fine and weak for a couple of days later. At this minute in time the surgeons were operating on Mary, putting plates and screws in both her arms. Very doubtful she'd get any real use ever again. I was felt guilty, or negligent, or both.

I had known it would have been better for me to go alone, but not decision. We also had one prisoner from the Goa'uld that came through the Witchgate, the one I had shot.

The medical investigation was turning out to be a real doozy. Not only are Goa'uld's parasites compared to the Tok'ra symbiote. Where the Goa'uld only wraps around the top of the spine and enters the brain, there appeared to be another symbiote or parasite. This was not only wrapped around the whole spine, but was connected to the Goa'uld parasite and the human brain. It also had some kind of body within the thorax which was almost 6 inches in diameter. Further DNA testing revealed that the genetic code had been changed, and the person was actually no longer human. They had become a mutant.

This new parasite was extremely allergic to pure silver, particularly the kind used in anti-Lycan ammunition; silver nitrate. Upon finding this out, Sam was busy trying to find a way to adapt my ammunition to their guns, but as usual a problem arose. The SGC use Teflon coated bullets, which by definition cannot be hollow point. The are former are piercing the Jaffa armour , the latter are designed to make a big hole in the body. It was beginning to look like the SGC would need to carry both types of guns.

Another little tidbit was that because the parasite altered the DNA, it became highly susceptible to fire, so another angle that Sam was also working on were small incendiary grenades the size of a cigarette lighter. That was the smallest size, up to large hand grenade.

The Generals' tirade was quite short, but his bad mood quite long lasting. I had been very impetuous and acted stupidly. My team had stuck by me despite my request that they retreat. I was at fault, no one not even me denied that one. What was obvious was that I wandered around like a 'dead man walking' due to my guilt.

The next time would be different, we were almost prepared now and any confrontations would end in our favour. At least that was the plan.

Next follow on story --- The Vampire Goa'uld.


End file.
